New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-17
TERRIBLE FALL IN THE AQUEDUCT.
YOUNG MANS REMARKABLE ESCAPE.

HE WENT DOWN 100 FFET BUT WAS ONLY
SLIGHTLY HURr-CATCHING THE ELEVATOR
ROPE.
George W. Gain who to this city from Woodbury.
Baltimore County, Maryland. about a week ago, has
every reason to think that life NewYork is exceed
ingly lively and that 1t has in 1t Just that element OF
danger that gives interest On Friday Mr. Gain will be
nineteen years old He will celebrate his birthday at
the Manhattan Hospital and his observance OF the day
will consist chiefly thanking his lucky stars that he has
lived TO see 1t ALL for he had the somewhat unusual
experience yesterday OF falling from the top to the bottom
of shaft 100 feet deep in the morning aud OF telling
the story in the afternoon.
Since he came this city, Mr. Gain has been at work
the squeduct, at nehundred-and-seventysi1 si1'h't
and Tentb-aye Deco shafts sunk and the material
taken loaded which are brought 10 the sur
face by elevators They thon run on track 10 the
dump returned empty to the elevator 10 De io"eeu
again into the shaft Abont 10 o'clock yesterday morn
ing Gain aud another workman we're pushing one OF
these empty cars toward the shaft supposng that the
elevator was at the top really receive M happened.
however be at the bottom and they pushed the car
over into the shaft Mr. Gain followed IL, put us
companion managed 10 save himself. MANY
man would have been daunted at finding himself
in snch a positionlf it may be called position-as
this hut not Mr. Gain. The cable by which tho eisvator
ca. il raised hung in the shaft and this he tried TO
seize Two or three caught H. he says and lost
II again and nay when within forty fifty feet or the
bottom as he thinks got firm hold For tho rest Of
the way the cable covered with and by the aid
Of this he was able to hold and slide down to ho
bo tom where he arrived In sitting stnre on top OF
cage, rather large bail ths Is uselu In some
way In holding the cable II should lie meulnned thtt
the The cable itself broken OF few feet from me
bot nv tho that had Just fallen and hung loose
There are elevators in each shaft. and the second
one Was ~ the top the accident occur red Some OF
the men at bottom OF the shalt sgnaed for IL To
come down, aud wncn il came ur Gain got into u ana
was carried to the top lie walked to the ambulance
when II arrived and Was taken 10 the hospital II WIS
found THAI he had suffered severe confusion OF the
Iieh hip and hat his hands Weto burned ny tho INC
ton OF me cable ami places tho skn was torn from
them. No other injuries Ol any XII q could be folni
rRrBuNE rcuorler called az the Manhattan Hospital
yesterday afternoon aud permitted 10
see patient lis proved TO be "a
/ uClOOkIng yOung msn. lar-e ana strong LOT
lis Igr. He stll la hoi suffering somewhat from
the nervous SHOCK. unnatural under the circun-
stances rrply 20 tla doctors question he sal mat
lie felt pretty well And showed hs hands, covered with
cheerfnlv about the accident aui cav" "A inmate do
scpton OF the shaft the cages, hc cables AMI ali the
circumstances.
Wat dil you thiut about when you were going
dOHni" asked.
"Oh. tina wodll he pretty harl To saw he replied (;
" about cdtcans hold 0f tie caDe, mostly
Livery Pre- seemed ircss;iDv tempted 70 con
grltu a Mr. cain his escape often as I"s,ibls'
aud the scene was q picAsan sr one man u often
found IN hospital word. Dr. Charles q. Combs
TIE ainhuauce sa1 that such confusion 0 tho
hip Tie patient mad received sometimes proved seriI Is
he did think there much danger IN his ease
and neither did hr tus any furh-r inluuc' wod
he developed thou..h this possible. Io believed
Gain would be ont nrrhaps in wccs ana would
be able 10 to work a-an before long